Journal
by suessepup
Summary: Based on Hetaoni, this story focuses mainly around where and what is in the journal that Italy carries around and some of the past history of the rumored mansion.
1. Meeting

It looked lonely. Tall, looming, forgotten, and so on: all described the mansion. The bared windows kept the haunting rumor of something not human inside. Or maybe I was overreacting. The bars could be placed for protection. Then again, the first floor was the only floor with barred windows. Had the occupant been so worried about the storm winds crashing against the fragile glass?

No, I was surely overreacting but I would have to wait. At least with my friends along, I wouldn't overreact so much. I turned around to head to his meeting place.

"Excuse me, were you looking for someone?" a voice inquired. The hand on my shoulder came out of nowhere and created an inch of space between the earth and me.

"N-n-no," I squeaked, backing up. The atmosphere just felt so heavy that I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Now, to add to my discomfort, an unknown man appeared.

"Oh, please forgive me for startling you. My friend use to live here some time ago so I thought you were looking for him," the stranger explained.

"How long ago did he leave?"

"Maybe three years," the stranger said with a sigh. "I don't keep track anymore."

"Oh, sorry to hear that Mr.…"

"Ryuuzu," he finished suddenly.

"Mr. Ryuuzu?"

The man nodded, approving of my pronunciation. "Well, if you ever wish to visit, walk right in. This house is always looking for visitors."

I smiled and nodded my head. "Thank you Mr. Ryuuzu. I will!" I chimed happily as I glanced back at the house. It didn't seem as bad now. A thought occurred to me though. "Oh, do you know the time?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not quite sure what time it is with this old watch. If you give me a moment, I can rewind it," Ryuuzu explained. He pulled up his sleeve to reveal the watch. The hands moved forward like a dying animal on the side of the road, desperately pulling up and forward with its damaged limbs, bleeding on the cold, lifeless road. The poor animal and the hands on the watch moved barely and inch toward its next destination. The watch continued to move in this slow pace until I watched as the stranger turned the dull notch. His thumb and index finger – rough and filthy from yard work supposedly – twirled the notch until a click was heard. The hands sprung into life as they moved along the numbers. I continued to watch for another moment as the second hand rushed around the aged numbers. It always paused for a split second longer at twelve than at any other number before proceeding.

"I think I have enough time, so it's ok if you don't know," I finally said with a smile, moving away slowly. The watch fascinated me but at the same point, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand nervously. And why was it so hesitant to pass 12?

"Very well, come back to visit anytime," the stranger said friendly. Ryuuzu nodded his head and let me leave without anymore delay. I glanced over my shoulder at the smile on his face. Did he know I was planning on returning in the near future with my friends to confirm the rumor of the haunted mansion?


	2. Finding

How was he moving? His brown, golden eyes were wide open and barely registering the moving environment. An empty hall way was all that surrounded him. The red wall paper was peeling over time. The floor boards were gone in several spots, leaving a never-ending void of black in their spot. He avoided them with ease. He didn't even hesitate to run around them, open the door, go down the stairs, and continue his journey through the cold, gray cellar now. The walls were concrete - a dull color of concrete as well. The only spots that weren't as dull as a prison cell were the chipped or blood stained spots that matched their counterparts on the empty book shelves.

The door behind him opened.

He ran faster, though he had no reason to. He would rather stop dead in his tracks and take his consequences. So why was he moving?

He slammed the typical black door shut behind him as he darted down the hall way. He was out of the basement, but he felt not even a bit better. The house now was in a better condition and well kept. The blue wall paper wasn't peeling and the floor was hole-less.

But nothing was comfort him now.

_Dear Diary, _

_It has felt like weeks since I entered this mansion. I rarely see the light of day so I could be mistaken. I've been running and hiding for eternity. Is this my punishment for the cruelties I did not stop? Why am _I _still alive? They fought for and with me but I was nothing but a nuisance and eventually their death. I'm not quite alone yet. Two of our group is still alive but they won't last much longer. Our last fight with the thing in the cellar earlier today has severely injured them. One of them has no weapon due to the fight. The other could die soon from blood loss. I used the last of my white flag to wrap his wounds. I pray to god that will be able to stop the bleeding and he'll survive. Please make this stop. Please bring them all back. _

He took a moment to rest when he reached the front part of the mansion. His heart was racing but he could go on. It wasn't impossible. The time for him to rest was short. He heard the slam of the door in the hallway behind his. He knew it was close and that resting would lead to death. Fight or flight, and his body continued to choice flight.

Felt his feet continue to move quickly in front of the other one and the surroundings move. He had no idea where he was going, just away from here. It was ironic that where he ended up was the first place he had met his opponent. He closed and locked the library room and fell against the door.

"Why me? Why am I alive?" he sobbed.

The door shook. Something was trying to get into the room. It knew he was there but he pushed against the door.

Eventually it left him there, in silence with the books of the previous owner. He crawled away slowly to rest against the book shelf. His head fell back against the shelf and knocked a book off. The book appeared like a bible. The black exterior held no words but gold lined the edges of the cover and the pages. He opened it up to find words written inside.

PROPERTY OF RYUUZU

_Dear Diary,_

_ I am finally alone. Everyone is dead but me. I will not let my friends die in vain. I will not let this outcome be the true one. If all I can do is run, then I will run back in time and run away with each and everyone with them. I do not know how but I will find out how to save them. Wish me luck, Ryuuzu._


End file.
